Senior Manufacturing Engineer in Knoxville, Tennessee at Beehive Industries, LLC

Beehive Industries is dedicated to Powering American Defense by revolutionizing the design, development, and delivery of jet propulsion systems to support the warfighter. Through the integration of additive manufacturing, the company aims to meet the growing and urgent needs for unmanned aerial defense by dramatically improving a jet engine’s speed to market, fuel efficiency, and cost.

Founded in 2020, the company is headquartered in Centennial, Colorado, with additional facilities in Knoxville, Tennessee, Loveland Ohio, and Mount Vernon, Ohio. Beehive is committed to grow and advance the defense industrial base while manufacturing exclusively in the USA. This role will be located at our Knoxville, Tennessee facility.

Role Overview

Owns manufacturing engineering activities for assigned products or components throughout the product lifecycle. Leads manufacturing process development, NPI readiness, DFM/DFA collaboration, and production improvement initiatives. Serves as a technical resource for manufacturing challenges and partners cross-functionally to ensure scalable and producible designs.

What You’ll Do...

• Own manufacturing engineering execution for assigned products, modules, or components
• Lead manufacturing process definition, workflow development, and production readiness activities
• Drive DFM/DFA collaboration with Design Engineering teams
• Support product transition from prototype development through production execution
• Develop manufacturing requirements, tooling concepts, process documentation, and technical standards
• Identify and mitigate manufacturing risks impacting cost, quality, schedule, and production readiness
• Lead root cause investigations and corrective actions for manufacturing issues
• Partner with Plant Manufacturing Engineering teams to implement production processes
• Drive improvements in yield, cycle time, throughput, and manufacturability
• Support manufacturing trade studies related to process selection, cost, and scalability
• Support APQP, PFMEA, control plans, SPC, and Lean Manufacturing activities
• Serve as manufacturing representative on Integrated Product Teams (IPTs)
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical guidance

You have...

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related technical field required

Experience

• Typically requires a minimum of 5 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 3 years and a Master’s degree; or equivalent work experience
• Experience supporting manufacturing engineering activities through NPI and production environments
• Experience with complex mechanical systems, aerospace, defense, propulsion, or advanced manufacturing preferred
• Experience with manufacturing processes such as machining, assembly, additive manufacturing, or welding
• Experience leading DFM/DFA activities and manufacturing readiness efforts
• Experience resolving manufacturing and quality challenges through structured problem-solving

Skills & Competencies

• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes and production execution
• Ability to lead technical projects and cross-functional initiatives
• Strong problem-solving and analytical capabilities
• Ability to influence design decisions through manufacturing expertise
• Strong communication skills with technical and operational teams
• Ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines
• Knowledge of GD&T, Lean Manufacturing, PFMEA, APQP, or SPC preferred
• The ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government issued security clearance is required. U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance

Nice to have...

• Experience with aerospace propulsion systems, rotating machinery, or flight hardware
• Experience supporting additive manufacturing production environments
• Experience transitioning products from prototype builds into production
• Experience developing manufacturing process flows, routings, and production documentation
• Familiarity with APQP, PFMEA, control plans, SPC, and Lean Manufacturing methodologies
• Experience with advanced manufacturing methods including CNC machining, precision assembly, welding, or post-processing
• Knowledge of GD&T and tolerance analysis
• Experience supporting AS9100-certified manufacturing environments
• Experience with low-rate initial production (LRIP) and production ramp activities
• Prior experience working in startup, high-growth, or rapidly changing engineering organizations

If this sounds like you, please submit an application with your resume. This could be the opportunity you are looking for to expand your skills, contribute to a winning team, and work with talented people who love what they do and take pride in our mission.

Beehive Industries offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes group Medical, Dental, Life, and Short and Long-Term disability coverage from day one. We also offer a generous 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with a Company match. Every role at Beehive Industries is bonus eligible and will also receive equity in the company.

Beehive Industries is committed to full compliance with applicable anti-discrimination laws. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We strive to create an inclusive work environment and will not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.